


Our Soul-Mate Story

by tyrionsonoftywin



Category: Scrubs (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Holding Hands, M/M, Telepathy, im so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23247049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyrionsonoftywin/pseuds/tyrionsonoftywin
Summary: If you have a question, your Soul-Mate has an answer.Even if it's a BLARGH!, sometimes.At least, it'll make you laugh.
Relationships: Perry Cox/John "JD" Dorian
Comments: 12
Kudos: 87





	Our Soul-Mate Story

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So, here I am with a new story. This OS took me a lot of time more than I expected, but it was totally worth it. I loved writing this and it distracted me a bit from the situation going on here in Italy.  
> Hope you enjoy it!  
> *English is not my native language, so if you have any corrections, please let me know*

_If you have a question, your Soul-Mate has an answer. Every time._

Perry slammed his bedroom door and sat on the floor, putting his hands over his ears to avoid hearing the screams of his sister and father. He sobbed, with his head between his knees, trembling. The bruises burned on his skin as if they had been etched with fire.

_Will this ever end?_

He asked, without expecting a real response. In fifteen years, his Soul-Mate had never answered him. Perry had thought they were an asshole and never tried to contact them again, but he had gotten into the habit of talking to himself. It helped him to reason. To think.

And then, who would have wanted him as Soul-Mate? He knew it wasn't exactly something you could chose, but you could certainly choose whether or not to answer the questions. And whoever they were, they had decided that Perry Cox could handle his crap all alone. And there were quite a few people who thought the same thing.

_BLAAAAAAAAAAARGH!_

A confused scream echoed in his head and Perry noticed that it hurt. He didn't know if it was because it was the first time or if it was always like this. He was sure of one thing: his Soul-Mate was a baby. And they had an unbearable voice. He hoped that when they grew up their voice wouldn't be so keen. Despite the absurd situation, he managed to laugh. He knew that it was only possible to communicate with questions and answers, but instinctively thought _Thank you_.

Then he smiled, rubbed his eyes and took the math notebook out of his backpack. He would never have become a doctor if he didn't do his homework. And, somehow, knowing that he would hear a _BLARGH!_ to his next question, made him feel less alone.

JD had just finished his drawing. The unicorn he drew looked beautiful to him: as soon as he learned which were the colors of the rainbow he decided to use all of them to color.

_Do you think unicorns exist?_

It was the first question he asked. Although JD was a very curious child, his Soul-Mate put him in awe. He was old, even if JD didn't know _how old_ -he couldn't ask him his name, age or where he lived, his parents explained to him- but sometimes he asked JD to tell him a joke. JD insisted on having his parents buy a book with the funniest jokes and forced Dan to read it to him, until he learned to do it alone. He always looked for new ones and repeated them to his Soul-Mate like the poems at school, hoping not to make a bad impression. He didn’t want his first question to be stupid, but he held to _his_ opinion more than anyone else’s.

_No, I don’t think so, kiddo._

JD heard him laugh in his head. He liked his laugh. He hoped he laughed like that for his jokes, too.

_Are you sure you want me when I grow up?_

Perry had just returned from a grueling shift and was trying to sleep when the voice of his Soul-Mate shook him from the numbness in which he was comfortably wrapped. He glanced at his watch and realized it was one in the morning. How old could he be now? Sixteen, seventeen? Oh, God, he felt dirty even though he had never seen him.

_Unless you're a serial killer, I don't see why I shouldn't, kid._

He turned to the bed. The sight of Jordan asleep on her stomach next to him caused a stab in the heart. He couldn't fool his Soul-Mate, but he was pretty sure that once he met him, _he_ would escape.

Silence.

That was strange. Although they had to talk only through questions and answers, it often happened that the other would ramble, making long speeches and then asking Perry, who was or working or driving, what he thought of it. He, then, would just said _That’s brilliant!_ or _You have great fantasy, kid._ He could not keep up with him. He wondered how those who were around him did.

But now his voice in Perry's head was limited to a whisper - when in reality it was still keen, like when he yelled _BLARGH!_ as a kid, making his brain explode- and that's why Perry was worried. Not that he owed anything to him. He had become skeptical about the Soul-Mate thing since he found out that they had so much age difference. He had no intention of waiting for him. He wanted to live his life, it seemed legitimate. But he didn't want to break the kid’s heart either.

 _Why did you even ask?_ , He asked him after minutes that seemed like hours.

The answer came promptly, but he was still whispering. _Because nobody seems to want me._

 _Are you okay?_ Perry was not used to hearing him so sad. He wanted to ask what had happened, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it.

 _No_. The other replied dryly. Then, softening, he added: _Do you think we will meet soon?_

Perry felt another pang in the heart. He sat on the bed, sighing. He had to try to be as convincing as possible. He would face the _thing_ with the kid when he would be a little more mature and confident, he told himself.

_I think we'll meet when you're old enough._

_Do you mean we’ll meet when you will need my help with a diaper?_ Perry laughed heartily, so much that he feared to wake Jordan. He remembered the jokes he asked him to tell him when he was little, usually before an important exam, to release the tension. _I won't be that old, I hope._

Silence again.

Maybe he had gone to sleep, but Perry felt his belly shake. What if he didn't do enough? What if he was still sad?

_I'm fine, old man. Go to sleep. You make too much noise when you think._

Perry found himself smiling like an idiot.

JD's first day of college had gone wonderfully well. His roommate, Turk, was a blast. They had talked about their Soul- Mates and Turk had revealed to him that he and his had told each other that they could do whatever they wanted before they met. JD had had a couple of innocent relationships in high school that ended badly, and when the second one was over, he had spoken to his Soul-Mate and took that conversation as a commitment to expect. He felt so relieved, after that.

He was about to go to the welcome party that evening, followed closely by Turk, when a sentence was uttered in his head with a very serious tone, which made his skin crawl.

_Can you ever forgive me?_

JD stopped on the spot, already with tears in his eyes. What had happened? Was he dying?

 _I'm not dying, idiot. Are you always this optimistic?_ His laughter relaxed him.

_What happened?_

_Tomorrow I'm getting married. I'm sorry._

JD did not reply. There was nothing to say. He went to the party, cried, drank, cried again. The next day, Turk told him that, at the end, he was lucky: he was free. He could choose who to be with, without forcing.

He tried to think like that, and promised himself to never contact his Soul-Mate ever again.

Years passed without Perry having news of his Soul-Mate. He couldn't blame him. He had made him believe that they would be together and then had told him that he was getting married without giving him the chance to reply, without he could say anything.

Surviving without his monologues, he discovered, was difficult. Not that they contacted each other so often, at most once a month. But it was more the thought of not being able to hear him anymore, the thought that any question he asked he would not answer, to destroy Perry. He had never been tied to him in any way: he was just a kid who spoke in his head about how he would call his car and the tests he had to do in high school. Still, it was somehow reassuring to know thatif he had a question, even the stupidest one -even _do you think unicorns exist?_ -, there was someone, somewhere, who had an answer.

He had blown everything, he realized, for a far from perfect wedding, that made him end up sleeping on the sofa more than one night.

_What the fuck is a prosopagnosia?_

The words rang in his head loud and clear, and he recognized the voice immediately even if it came to him glitched. He was nervous, he could sense it. Perry didn't think he really expected an answer to such a specific question.

_A visual agnosia for the faces. You can see faces, but you don't recognize them._

He said with a hint of pride. After a few seconds, he wrinckled his eyebrows. Why did he need to know?

_Med school. I wasn't talking to you, anyway._

At those words Perry bit his lip. Did the kid go to med school, now? God, how long had it been?

A sarcastic giggle shook him.

_It's five years today. You don't remember your wedding anniversary, do you?_

That awareness hit him like a train. He hadn't kept count, and the kid did?

_Will you stop thinking questions in your head? I am in the middle of a test._

He would become a doctor. Perry would have found him at work, he was sure of it. A few more years, and he would meet his Soul-Mate.

"Oh, and from now on, whenever I'm in the room, you're definetly not allowed to talk"

JD could not longer remember what was the lat time he had heard the voice of his Soul-Mate. Meeting Dr. Cox and pretending he didn't know him when he just wanted to... _punch him_ was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Perhaps also for this reason he had failed to insert that IV. He wondered he said that sentence because -as JD had recently discovered- he was an insensitive asshole or because he had recognized JD's voice too and wanted to avoid hearing it, even live. Or because of both.

But, actually, Dr. Cox helped him later. It had pushed him to get over his block and JD wasn't sure he did it with all the interns. There was something about that proud smile he had given him, something that made JD's heart beat a little faster. And in the end, he had inevitavly attached to him. There was an invisible force that pushed him towards the doctor, and he often was feeling again that child who, as the first question to his Soul-Mate, had decided to ask if he believed in unicorns.

"Dude, are you sure it's his voice?" Turk took a piece of pizza from the carton placed on the table in front oh him and brought it to his mouth. JD settled inyo the armchair and nodded "I've never been surer" Turk glanced at him and shrugged. "What did I tell you when he got married? That you were lucky. And I've never been so right: he's not good for you, VB" JD sighed. "You don't even know him." Turk took another piece of pizza and handed it to his friend. JD took it, starting to eat it. Two weeks as an intern had already destroyed him. That was his first free evening. And he was spending it anguighing for someone who probably didn't even want him. "But I know _you_. It's enough for me to see how he treats you to say that you deserve better. You're a good doctor, JD. And he's not even a good mentor if to teach you something he must insult you or call you with girl names. JD smiled crookedly. Turk's loyalty moved him. It was nice to have someone to rely on blindly. Even if they didn't approve of your Soul-Mate. "He is not really like that. And anyway, if we are destinated to be together, it means that we would be a nice couple" Turk shook his head. "Seriously, what do you like of him?" JD opened his mouth to reply, but Turk didn't let him. "I'll tell you: nothing. You're just idealizing the guy who was talking to you in the head until, what, ten years ago? And it's normal, really. But Dr. Cox is one of the worst people I've ever met. Maybe he was nice to you when you were eight, but now he's changed. Or maybe he has always been this way. Dude, he didn't even tell you he recognized you. He doesn't give a crap about anyone but himself." JD looked at the ground. "Come on, let's talk about something else" Turk maybe feared being too hard, because he approached the pizza box letting JD take the last slice. "JD?" He called, making him to raise his head. "Mh?" JD moaned biting the pizza. "I'm always by your side, you know that?" JD nodded and smiled. "Yes, I know."

"So you don't want to get back with me because you, the cynical bastard without feelings, have fallen in love with a kid you've known for two weeks?" Perry thought he had never seen Jordan being so angry. And he had spent the last five years of his life fighting with her. "I'm absolutely _not_ in love with Newbie." When his ex-wife glared at the nickname, he had to bite his tongue. "Jordan, it's complicated." Jordan sighed. "Really? Yesterday I came to the hospital and I found you babysitting an intern I never seen before, then I came here today and you told me he's your Soul-Mate, and that you spoke to him every so often before the wedding, when instead you always told me that you never contacted each other! It doesn't seem so complicated to me, Perrry."Perry ran his hands over his face "You have no right to me, Jordan. We divorced." He said seriously. "Just go away, Jordan." The woman runmaged in her purse and pulled out the keys of the apartment, throwing them at Perry's feet. "You can deceive others, Perry, but not me. You never believed in this Soul-Mate shit, you just need a little dog that makes you feel important. When you will notice it, you can come and beg me to forgive you."

Then she slammed the door and left him alone in his apartment. 

He was not in love. _Not at all_.

The kid irritated him badly. All he did was talk, follow him, ask him for opinions on pretty much anything and look at him with those big puppy eyes. And sometimes, suddenly, he absented himself completely, and he no longer listened to anyone for whole minutes, in wich he was lost, the Big Guy knows where, and Perry _hated_ him, really hated him.

And he hated that he thought he knew everything, that he had attached to him without even asking if he was his Soul-Mate, because he was so impertinent and arrogant that he hadn't even consireded being wrong. And sooner or later, Perry just _knew it,_ he was going to make a grueling speech about whether they would be perfect together, and Perry didn't think he could handle it. Not when he was getting out of a divorce, not if his only grip was to be the kid who until ten years ago made such absurd talks that Perry wondered if he would ever grow up -and, having known him, he doubted it.

But at the same time, having him so close, hearing his voice, his real voice, made him goosebumps. And the more he rejected him, the more JD listened to him, really listened to him, and the more those monologues about the kid's private life returned to fill his days, the more it seemed to him that all the others, all those days lived since that last one before the wedding, had been empty, faded, grey. Was that what it felt like, when you meet your Soul-Mate?

_What?_

Perry jumped. It was not possible.

_How long have you been in my head, Allison?_

_So do you know who I am?_

He could feel the amazement in his voice. Fantastic. Now everything would have been more complicated.

_Sure. I'd recognize that voice in a thousand._

_Why didn't you tell me anything?_

_Why didn't_ you _tell_ me _anyting?_

_Because you are married._

He could not blame him. Now, how did he tell him he wasn't? Should he tell him, in the first place?

 _Oh._ Damned brain. Damned him who had not yet learned not to ask questions to himself.

_You are not married?_

_Not anymore._

_Why?_

_None of your business, Maryanne._

Now go away, Newbie. Get out of my head. Please.

He knew JD couldn't hear him, but he did it anyway: he got out of his head, leaving him alone, with his aching temples in the middle of his living room. Somehow, he had hoped that he wouldn't, that he would stay. But he was gone.

The chat with Turk had somehow cleared JD's ideas, although his heart was of a complete different opinion from his heart. He hadn't seen Dr. Cox all day, until he found himself in front of him as he came out of a patient's room. He was...impressive. If JD had to imagine his Soul-Mate only from the voice, he would never have been able to guess _that._ Perry Cox was the most handsome man he had ever seen. 

"Hi." He managed to tell him, hoping he hadn't noticed he was staring at him. 

"Listen, Susan, it could upset you, I know, but this is a _hospital_ and I'm a _doctor._ There are _patients_ waiting for me, I---" JD knew he was starting one of his rants in which he would probably tell him that he was the worst doctor in the world, and thinking back to Turk's words, he took courage and interrupted him. "From now on, I won't stress you anymore." Cox frowned. "What are you trying yo say, Sheila?" JD sighed. "I'm not going to take another insult from you. If you had been just a random doctor, I wouldn't have blinked, especially because I think you know you're the best in here..." The older man loooked at him, confused. "I just don't think my Soul-Mate should treat me like this. So thank you, and goodbye. I am going to ask for another attending." He started to overtake him, but Cox's voice echoed in his head. 

_Don't you think we should talk about this somewhere else?_

He looked up at him. His eyes were so intense that JD felt his legs soft. His brain was shouting at him to say no and leave -and maybe Cox knew it, but he was still there looking at him, and he seemed almost...hopeful-. As much as Turk made him change his mind, JD couldn't help asking his mentor "Where?" 

Cox took his wrist, dragging him into an empty room. When he touched him, JD felt a shiver running down his back. It was the first time they had touched each other. “Listen, Newbie , I'm sorry, okay? But this is Perry Cox , with everyone. If you were expecting flowers and _unicorns_ with me, then there was a mistake up there "He said pointing to the sky with the index finger "Because I'm not _re-e-eally_ that kind of person. But if you want to become a decent doctor, then stop it with all this bullshit and --- "

But everything JD could think about of while Dr. Cox was speaking was that they were finally alone. And that he had confirmed that he was his Soul-Mate. And that he had mentioned the unicorns. So, he put his hands on his cheeks and kissed him.

At first it seemed to him as if time had stopped. Perry stopped too, for a few seconds, taken aback, but then returned the kiss, and JD felt like he was in heaven. God, he kissed so well. He put his hands on JD's hips, gently stroking them over his scrubs pants. Without having control over his body, JD found himself moaning during the kiss, teased by the Perry's tongue that was exploring his palate, and his teeth biting his lower lip. When they both broke away to catch their breath, JD smiled at him. "I thought you would punch me"

Perry did not return the smile. JD noticed that he had frowned. "Well? What's up?"

 _Did_ _you_ _not like it?_

The doctor stepped back a few steps, releasing the hold on his hips.

_I liked it too much._

JD spread his arms. _So what's the problem?_

Perry put a hand in front of him as if he could stop the fact that he _had_ to answer JD. "Stop _that._ "

 _I am the problem._ "You are an intern and you see me as a superhero, but you have only been here for two weeks."

“But I've known you for twenty-five years, we're _meant to be_! ”JD protested.

"We both know that's not true." Perry swallowed hard. "Okay, so what do you want to do? What's the point? Why did you drag me here? " JD closed the distance between them, approaching him.

“Just to tell you that if I'm hard on you, it's because you're a good doctor. And it's not like me to say it after two weeks" Perry looked into his eyes, and JD felt like he was in the middle of a tsunami.

"So you don't want to be with me," He provoked him.

"JD." Perry was visibly agitated, JD noticed. 

_So you don't wanna be with me?_

"I told you to stop doing _that_!"

"If you answered me, I would have stopped"

"I don't want to be with you." 

_Not now._ JD heard in his head.

“This Soul- Mates thing , JD… I never really believed in it. Especially after I realized you were a baby the first time. We don't _have to_ be together, Newbie . And what scares me ... what scares me is that you see it as an obligation, and it is not." JD felt hurt, but part of him knew that Perry was right. "I've always listened to you," Perry said with a smile, bringing a finger to his temple. “For years, you've always been here. And you're a dreamer, and I admire you because of it, but you have to understand that... it's not all that easy. Not even _love_.”JD nodded. He tried to mask that those words had been like a stab wound, but evidently he couldn't, judging by Perry's gaze. His Soul-Mate headed for the door and gave him a half smile.

"Everything'll be fine. I promise."

Then he closed the door and left him alone.

JD started sobbing.

The following days, Perry tried to pretend like nothing happened. He found out that JD was better than him. At pretending. Or maybe it was just what he wanted to show him. However, the kid didn't leave. He didn't abandon him. He didn't look for another attending. His presence, although it became quieter, comforted him. JD accepted his rants without replying and continued to follow him everywhere. Perry knew that if he was at a table alone during lunch, he could look up and easily find JD offer him a big smile. Or, when he lost a patient, he knew he could ask in his head _What did I do wrong?_ and to be answered authoritatively _Nothing_ by a tired voice of an intern who was still getting used by the absurd rythms of the hospital.

They fell into a routine unwittingly.

One day, Perry was leaning against the nurses' station when Carla touched his arm. He looked at her in surprise. "Mh?" Carla gave him a mischievous smile. "You know, the first question Turk asked me was _Do you have boobs_?" Perry rolled his eyes. He could not believe that Gandhi was Carla's Soul-Mate. Another proof that that was bullshit, in case it was needed. "I'd like to say I don't believe it, but I know him so..." Carla nodded. “When I met him, I didn't want to have anything to do with him. I couldn't believe that, _of all people_ , my Soul-Mate had to be _bald_.” Perry opened his mouth to say something but Carla continued. “JD really likes you, Perry. He doesn't stop talking about you. And his eyes shine when he does. And your eyes shine too, you know? When you're with him... I've never seen you like this. Not even with Jordan. You look like another person. In a good way." Perry swallowed hard. “I'm just proud of the kid. As a _doctor_." Carla sighed. "Sure. Look, I also thought it would have never worked with Turk, I mean... we are so different. But, in a sense, we are also very similar. And if you paid a little more attention, you would notice that... "

"Dr Cox!" Perry gasped, he saw JD running towards him, and before he knew it, he was hugging him. “Meredith's operation went well! She is alive!" He yelled, and Perry only managed to sit still, not daring to stretch his hands on his back. JD's touch was enough to make him shiver. The younger man immediately realized the situation and let him go. Perry felt a sudden cold where their bodies were attacked before. "Sorry" JD looked down, embarrassed,. "It's okay." Perry cleared his throat. “I'm happy for you, Newbie . You did a good job. " At those words, JD grinned. "I want to be there when she will wake up." Perry grinned, too. "You better go then"

When he was gone, he turned to Carla, who strangely silent. “Meredith is one of his patients. She is eight. He diagnosed her with cancer. If he hadn't order all the tests in the world, we would never have understood it in time." Carla nodded. "What's up?" She laughed. "You should see yourself. You don't stop smiling. He hugged you and you said _It's okay._ If it had been Elliot , you would have killed her." Perry blinked. Of course, Barbie wasn't even comparable to _his_ Newbie.

As he tried to justify himself somehow, his phone rang.

He thanked his sister's God for a moment before replying.

It was Jordan.

"What do you want?" He said, annoyed.

"Perry?" A male voice answered on the other end of the phone. "Yeah, it's me. What happened?"

“Your number was among those to call in an emergency. Jordan Sullivan had an accident "

_Do you want a coffee?_

_No._

JD entered the room with the two glasses he had previously filled to the machine. He saw Dr Cox sitting, head down, on the plastic chair beside the bed. He had never seen Jordan before, so his gaze inevitably fell on her. She was beautiful, JD could not deny it. Even though her eyes were closed and she had a scar on her forehead and a swollen lip, he could easily understand it.

As there was no other chair, JD handed the glass to Dr Cox and sat down on the ground next to him.

"Carla told me what happened." He saw Perry nod and drink coffee. "Do you mind if... do you mind if we don't talk?" He stared straight ahead. He seemed about to cry. JD tightened his grip on his glass a little. "No problem. You want me to go?"

"No." Perry replied quickly, turning abruptly towards him. Then he added, more slowly, "Stay."

JD stayed. For a long time, the only noise in that room was that of the monitor showing Jordan's heart rate.

"I can't... I can't..."

Lose her.

He didn't say it, but JD understood it. And he felt numb and bad, because part of him couldn't help being jealous of that woman. It was not a rational thing. JD knew perfectly well that it was normal for Dr Cox to be so hurt, that the woman's condition was serious, that only a monster wouldn't care if his ex-wife had such a terrible accident.

But he couldn't control his feelings.

"Everything will be fine." He said with a half smile, glancing at the bed. "I bet she's a strong woman."

"The strongest" Cox pointed out.

"I can see it." He forced himself to smile. Cox put a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to sit down here?" JD shook his head. "No, I'm fine," He reassured him, even though he felt sore. The older man nodded. He didn't take his hand off JD's shoulder, though. In fact, JD felt his fingers curl in his shirt. He wasn't sure what he should do, because he was afraid of ruining everything. He swallowed.

Luckily, Dr Cox started talking again. "Jordan is a rock, Newbie. And she was my rock for a long time, before we realized that the harm we did to each other was more than good." He smiled bitterly. "If something will happen to her..." JD, although he didn't hear Cox's voice in his head, still managed to guess what he was going to say. "It's not your fault." He reached over to his Soul-Mate's hand, that was still on his shoulder. Cox followed with his eyes JD's movements carefully, while JD took his hand and held it in his, even though it was smaller. He heard him sigh before continuing. “We loved each other very much, you know? Our problem is that we were too similar, too angry." JD looked down at their hands. He stroked his with his thumb. “Sometimes we need someone to balance us. Someone who is different from us." JD felt his hand sweat. This time it was Perry who tightened his. Although he didn't reply, JD thought it was his way of telling him he was right. “A few weeks ago, she came back to me. And I told her not to show up anymore. If I had listened to her, if we had tried again…” JD looked up at him. He wished he could take all the sadness he saw in his blue eyes, to suffer him instead of Dr Cox . He was good at managing pain . "You would still be unhappy now." To his surprise, Cox did not reply. “She would never have taken that road, though. She was… she was coming here. ”JD wanted to reply , but a man entered the room. He let go of Cox's hand , unsure of who he was. 

He got up, leaning against the wall without saying anything.

"Ben." Perry knew well that his best friend was not stupid, and although JD had immediately let go of his hand, there was still a strange atmosphere in the room.

 _Who is him?_ For once, Perry was grateful that JD could ask him inappropriate questions where no one else could hear them.

_Her brother._

Ben walked over to Perry, who rose from his chair to hug him. Perry saw that he kept glancing at JD, but he couldn't and didn't want to ask the kid to leave. Even if it had been just a few-minutes-thing, he was already missing JD's hand holding his, slightly easing the weight on his chest, as if he was stroking his heart.

_Can you... can you not go?_

He knew he looked like an idiot. If he had been JD, after everything that had happened, he would have gone.

But JD wasn't him, and he wasn't JD.

Luckily, they were different.

_I won't go until you tell me to._

Perry, turning away from Ben's embrace, turned to him. JD smiled imperceptibly . "How is she?" Ben asked.

“She had a concussion and she broke four ribs. But she is stable, now." Ben walked over to his sister's bed, gently brushing her hair from her forehead. "When will she wake up?" He looked at Perry. "We don't know, but we are confident"

Then, he pointed his finger at JD.

"What is he doing here?" He said, raising his voice accusingly. Perry's eyes widened. "He is a doctor." He said. “I know very well who he is. Do you think I don't talk to my sister? I want him out of here." Perry lowered his head.

“There is nothing between us. I just brought him a coffee." JD said seriously. Perry turned to look at him. He seemed serious. Professional. "Dr. Cox and I are Soul-Mates , it's true, but he's not interested." Ben raised an eyebrow in surprise. "And are you interested?" JD hesitated . "It's not relevant."

Ben rubbed his hands. "Well, I don't want you here. You brought him coffee, now you can go."

 _Can I?_ Perry sighed. _Yes._

Without saying anything else, JD left. Ben followed him with his gaze for a while, before looking back at Perry. “Leave me alone with my sister." Perry took a step towards him. "Ben..." The man looked him straight in the eye, cracking his eyebrows. "Perry, get out."

JD pulled on his jacket, catching up with his friends who were walking towards the exit. "I'm worried about Dr Cox," he said, and Carla, leaning on Turk's shoulder , patted him affectionately on the arm. "Bambi, he'll be fine." JD hadn't told anyone what had happened that day, even though he'd been thinking about their intertwined hands and his Soul-Mate's sad eyes since he left the room. "Yeah, dude, as soon as Jordan recovers, he will return the old Cox." Elliot grimaced. "I hope not, he didn't yell at me once today," she said with a chuckle. JD couldn't believe it. “So it's better for you if he suffers? The world does not revolve around you, Elliot ! He really is not doing well! " He shouted angry, leaving the hospital alone.

"JD!" He heard Elliot's voice . "JD! Sorry! I didn't mean it in that way…"

JD sighed, then saw him, Dr Cox, walking towards his Porsche. He went down the stairs, approached him, stopped. He didn't know what to say to him.

"Dr Cox" he whispered. He regretted it the second later. He hoped he hadn't heard.

He turned around. It was strange to see him without his lab coat, JD thought. "Susan ?"

“Do you want company? Tonight? I mean, don't get me wrong, I just thought you needed a _friend_.” Dr Cox looked at him for a few seconds, and JD was sure that this time he really would punch him, right in the face.

"JD!" Turk's voice startled him. He turned to see his friends coming towards him. Perfect timing.

Dr Cox put his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. JD could say he wanted to leave, and he didn't blame him. "Looks like you're already busy," he remarked dryly. JD shrugged. " I don't have plans, actually"

When Elliot , Carla and Turk joined him, JD thought that his chance was gone.

"Dr Cox!" Turk exclaimed , surprised.

"JD, I'm sorry for what I said," Elliot said , looking guilty at him. JD put his hand on her cheek, stroking it, and smiled at her. “I'm not angry, Elliot. Everything is alright." With his tail in his eye he saw Cox staring at him and Elliot .

"Well, I'm going. See you tomorrow. Carla. Gandhi. Giselle. " He smiled a little at JD, then turned his back on them

"He didn't even said Barbie!" Elliot complained. “See, Carla? I don't exaggerate when I say that he _hates_ me!"

 _So, do you need company?_ JD watched him go a little further.

_No._

Perry was about to go to bed and call it a day, a _really bad_ day, when someone rang the doorbell. He opened the door and found JD with two beers in his hand and a big smile in front of him. “I thought I was clear with you, Vanessa." He said, hating himself when he saw the smile vanish from JD's face. Jeez. He was the only person who cared about him _at all._

“I just wanted to have a beer with you. No sentimental chats." JD offered him a small smile and Perry let him in. Why did the kid try _so_ hard anyway? Perry Cox was a lost case.

"I wouldn't say I try," He said, sitting on the sofa as if he was at home. As if he had done it a thousand times. “I'd just say I like you - _as a person_ \- and well, I worry about you. That's all.” Perry was still standing there, looking at him. “You're sitting here with me or do I have to drink this beer alone with you staring at me? You're creeping me out.” JD chuckled. Perry sat down next to him, and easily opened his bottle. JD, on the other hand, was unable to open his. Perry found him cute. Not that he had never found him cute before. But this time it was different. They were alone. He was opening a bottle of beer on his sofa, in his house. He was cute. Perry took the bottle from JD's hands and opened it, then gave it to him. JD blushed. "Thank you." Perry winked at him.

"How did you get my address, anyway?" He asked, though he already knew the answer. "Carla." JD replied. As he had expected. "Elliot and Turk didn't want me to come here." Perry frowned. "Sorry," The kid added "I don't know why I said it."

"Well, Barbie clearly has a crush on you." Perry took a sip of beer . JD shook his head. "Elliot doesn't have a crush on me!" His voice rose at least two octaves. Perry didn't think it possible. "She has it. Clearly." JD smirked. "I'll ask her out, then." Perry was about to choke on the beer at that statement. Of course, JD was free. Perry himself made it extra-clear. And if he didn't want to wait for Perry to want and have time for a relationship, he was free to date whoever he wanted. Even Barbie. But after what happened that afternoon...

"Sure" He teased him. "It won't be difficult for you to have sex with her, if you keep stroking her cheek." He knew he was being an asshole. But JD _couldn't_ holding his hand like that and do that whole _thing_ with his eyes and then tell him he wanted to date another person. He was being inconsistent. And Perry hated inconsistent people. That was all.

"Jesus, I'm kidding." Perry felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He was kidding. He had come to him with two beers, probably prepared to hold his hand again while he was talking about his ex-wife. If he had wanted to, he would have stayed with his friends. But he was there. "Me too" He lied, hoping he wouldn't notice. But the kid was not as stupid as Perry hoped or believed him to be. "You're jealous! You saw us today and you are jealous! " His eyes widened, and his smile too. "I'm not jealous!" Perry found himself chuckling like a thirteen year old with the first crush. What had JD done to him?

“In your head you call me JD. Interesting." He winked.He saw him put the still half-full bottle on the table with alarming confidence.

 _I didn't do anything to you, Perry._ He wanted him to stop. But also to continue.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Newbie ?" He said, trying not to seem excited. The kid shrugged. "Nothing. Admit that you are jealous and maybe we can have a serious conversation." Perry came up to him. "You did it on purpose." JD pretended to be surprised. "I don't know what you're talking about." Damn Newbie. Perry put a hand on his cheek and rubbed it with his thumb. "This" His gaze was all on JD's lips. He already knew what they tasted like. They were so full and soft. He couldn't think of anything that wasn't how much he missed JD's taste. "I'm referring to this. Barbie. Tonight. Right in front of me. You did it on purpose?" JD smiled. "No."Just as a shiver ran through Perry's back, the sound of a cell phone -his- startled both of them. "Wait a minute," he said, sighing, as he pulled it out of his pocket. "It's the hospital," He warned JD, then replied.

"Dr Cox, Jordan woke up." Laverne said on the other end of the phone.

"Do you want me to come with you?" JD asked, watching Perry looking for his jacket and car keys. He realized that he hadn't even glanced at him since he got the call and had stuttered what happened. Perry looked at him in confusion, then shook his head. "It's better if you go home, Carol"

From that moment on , the world moved a little faster. When JD returned to work the next morning, he found Perry sitting next to Jordan's bed, and they were talking holding each other's hands. His eyes filled with tears thinking that only the day before _he_ had been holding Dr Cox's hand. In that same room.

Later Ben and the rest of Jordan's family came. JD didn't want to be a stalker, and he was told not to go into that room. But he peeked enough to see all of them there, happy. Like a family. Then Jordan turned to Perry and kissed him on the lips, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. JD had to go to the bathroom to vomit.

He was washing his hands when Turk entered the room visibly worried. "JD, go home. I'll cover you with Kelso.” JD forced a smile and shook his head vigorously. “No, CB, thank you. But I'm fine. " Turk didn't seem convinced, on the contrary, he frowned. He clenched his hands into fists. "Alright, I'm gonna smash his face in," He said, heading for the hallway. JD managed to stop him just in time, taking him by the arms . "You are not going to smash anyone's face in." Turk looked him in the eye and sighed. “Promise me one thing. You're not going to get involved with that guy anymore. You don't deserve anything of this, JD. ” The other swallowed. "Turk ..." 

"But look who's here, Ginger and his black wife." Dr Cox entered the bathroom, and Turk gritted his teeth. "Now I'll smash his face in," he whispered to JD. "Turk!" JD warned him. "Turk, please" JD looked at Cox , completely at ease, with the usual smug smile on his face. He would have liked to be so calm too. Instead, in his head he continued to relive the night before, the gentle touch of his fingers on JD's cheek, his intense dark eyes... He wasn't daydreaming. They were about to kiss.

"Dr Cox!" JD called, approaching him.

"What is it, Janice ?" He said, turning. JD was about to yell at him to stop playing with his feelings like that, but this time it was Turk who stopped him. "JD, come on."

His friend took him by the arm and dragged him away, while Cox looked at them without saying anything.

Those days were strange. Jordan seemed to remember nothing of their last conversation, even if Perry suspected she was faking it. It was fine with him, though. Being beside her made him feel a little less guilty. He hurried around the patients and spent a few hours in Jordan's room. He even made peace with her mother. Ben seemed to have forgotten that JD had existed, too, and had started to treat Perry as a brother again.

Ever since he met him in the bathroom, Perry hadn't seen JD. He had imagined it was because he was always in Jordan's room, lately. He missed him, although he didn't want to admit it. When he asked Carla where he was, he received a dirty look. "He is sick ." Shee said, and Laverne raised her eyebrows. "Sure," she commented ironically . A horrible awareness assailed Perry . Of course he couldn't have really thought that the kid wouldn't notice anything. But if he wasn't coming to work...

"He is not sick?" Carla shrugged. “Perry, he doesn't want to see you. And he's right." He wanted to reply, but Gandhi came to greet his girlfriend. Perry froze. "He asked about JD, didn't he?" He pointed a finger at him. “ Listen to me: when he comes back, I don't even want you to look at him. I have been going home for two days and find him on the sofa asking me if you asked for him. And I'll be back today, and I'll answer _No, JD, I told you he's a dick_. Because you didn't ask about him. Because you don't care about him. ” Perry cracked his eyebrows. "Oh, I didn't know _you_ were the one reading in my head, Gandhi."Then he looked at Carla, pleading. “I have to talk to him."

"Oh no" Gandhi had just _pushed him_ to the wall. On another occasion, he would have already found himself with a broken wrist from having even _touched_ him. “Here's what you'll do: you'll forget about JD. You will no longer ask yourself questions. You will stay with your wife and pretend that JD is invisible. If you don't, I'll kill you." He said showing him his fist.

"Turk!" Carla took her boyfriend by the shoulders, pulling him away.

"Thanks, Carla" The nurse was still trying to calm the surgeon. "Leave him alone," She said to Perry. "Leave JD alone"

_Why aren't you at work?_

JD was curled up on the sofa watching _Gilmore Girls_ , when Perry's voice invaded his head. He had to pause and sit down, to make sure it was really him.

_I'm sick._

Silence. JD held the remote in his hand, unsure whether to resume watching TV or wait for Perry to ask him another question. And then, why ask him and not Carla?

_Because I wanted to hear your unbearable voice in my head._

It was too much. JD knew that Perry was with Jordan again. He had seen it. He didn't want to be fooled. Again.

 _Karen?_ He had to ignore him. Ignoring him was easy. Very easy. He had to breathe. Keep watching _Gilmore Girls_. Having a shower. Perry would have gone in a minute or two.

 _Newbie?_

_JD?_ His head began spinning.

_Yeah?_

Silence. JD didn't understand.

Then he heard it:

_Come back to work tomorrow. I'm not worth your pain._

He didn't come back. He didn't even ask him why he was saying that or what happened. He just ignored him. Perry just wanted to see him, talk to him even if he wasn't sure what he should say to him.

Something like _I really miss hearing you babbling about your stuffed dog_ would have been romantic enough, he thought.

Before he knew it, he found himself banging his head on the floor. He screamed in fright and pain, as the Janitor approached him with the sign of wet floor. "It's wet," he commented. Perry grimaced in pain. “Scooter is not coming at work because of you. You _destroyed_ my only purpose. Thanks." He said as Perry was trying to get up.

Ben was right in front of him, and held out his hand. Perry took it and managed to finally get up.

"Listen, as much as I love my sister... you should talk to JD." Perry looked at him confused. "Come again?" Ben shrugged. “ He is kind. A good person. He sent flowers to Jordan's room." The kid had sent flowers to his ex-wife's room but was not talking to him. “ He doesn't want to have anything to do with me, Ben. I lost him."Ben smiled. "I don't believe so..." He took a note out of his jacket pocket and gave it to Perry. 

There was an address. 

"The flower sender" Ben explained. Perry smiled. "Turn it around" Ben suggested. 

With a small handwriting, there was written: _I'm glad you are doing well. I promise I won't talk to Dr. Cox anymore. He chose you, and I hope you'll be very happy together, from now on. Wishing you all the best. JD._

"Get out of my house immediately!" Turk's scream woke JD.

He opened the door of his room to see what was happening

Dr. Cox was on the landing, still with his work clothes on. As soon as their eyes met, Cox smiled.

"Hi Margareth" 

Turk turned to JD. "Dude, go into your room. I'll handle that." JD swallowed. "Turk, could you shut up, please?" He saw Carla say something to his ear, and finally left space for Dr Cox to pass. He stood in front of JD.

"So?" Turk asked impatiently. Cox glared at him, then looked back at JD. "Can we go to your room?" JD still didn't understand what was going on, but he nodded and took him to his room. 

Cox looked uncomfortable, but he didn't waste time. “I spoke to Jordan. I told her I couldn't continue like this." JD's eyes widened. "What do you mean by _like this_?" Perry chuckled. “Once someone told me that I would have been unhappy if I hadn't told her to go away. Because sometimes we need someone to balance us. Someone who is different from us. " JDcouldn't believe what he was hearing. "What ... what are you saying?" Perry swallowed. “Do you remember when I told you that you saw this Soul- Mates thing as an obligation ? I don't regret it. Because now I can say that I chose you. I want to be with you. And not just because you talk in my head, sometimes, and Jordan doesn't. And maybe you don't want to be with me at this point, but ..."

JD took him by the lab coat and kissed him. He kissed him back immediately, putting his hands behind his back to hold him. JD put his hands through his hair, strokingthem.

He heard someone clapping. Probably Carla. Were they listening to them?

_Can you avoid thinking about it now?_

He smiled in the kiss. He broke away to look at him, went down with his hand on his cheek and ran his thumb over his cheekbone. "This time you're not leaving, are you?" He shook his head. "I have things I have to apologize for, first. Many things."

JD chuckled as Perry pulled him to him for another kiss.

 _Do you think we w_ _ill work?_ JD asked, squeezing him.

_Of course, Newbie. We are Soul-Mates._

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment and a kudos if you want me to know you liked this story!  
> It's very important to me to know your opinions.  
> I'll write soon some other ffs (much shorter than this one lol) and maybe I will include them in a collection.  
> Have a good day and stay safe!  
> PS: I would like to thank Joshua Radin and his album "We were here" cause it was the only thing playing in my ears while I was writing this fic LOL


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